Beam-type housing structure



Aug-29, 1939. E. J. w.RAGsDALE Er AL 2,171,434

BEM-TYPE HOUSING STRUCTURE Filed April 14, 1954 Sheet-Sheet 1 m m: NGE Nw n mmm n l we M mmm m No WHA A Q STES?, ,l l. Y o ,g1/, E j mm w @nl @s mm m 2, mv y EE Q3 2f E N \\x Q j m a W y mM M /f ,M/f om Aug. 29,1939. E.J.w.`RAGsDALE ETAL v2,171,434

` BEAM-.TYPE HOUSING STRUCTURE Filed April 14, 19:54 sheets-sheet 2 N V EN TORS EA RL 1W. RAGSDALE ALBERT G, DEAN J A TTORNE Y.

VBY

Aug. 29, 1939. E. J. w. RAGsDALE r-:r AL 2,171,434

BEAM-TYPE HOUSING STRUCTURE Filed April 14, 1934 s sheds-sheet 3 INVENTOR` ALBERT G. DEAN EARLJWRAGSDALE Aug. 29, 1.939. v E. J. w. RAGSDALE 'Er Al. 2,171,434

BEAM-TYPE HOUSING STRUCTURE Filed April 14, 1934 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 P u l .ALBERT C1. DEAN )jmp l ATTORNE.

Aug. 29, 1939. E. J. w. RAGsDALE E -r AL 2,171,434

v BEAM-TYPE HOUSING STRUCTURE FilQdApril 14, 1934 6 Sheets--SheefI 5 FIGB J 'nu isa PIG. i4

y IN V EN TORS EARLJM. RAGsDALE By ALERT DEAN.

ATTORNEY.

Aug. 29, 1939. E. J. w. RAGsDALE Er AL 2,171,434

BEAM-TYPE HOUSING STRUCTURE Filed April 14, 1934 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 I 1 l i 1 n NVENTORS EARL l WRAGSDALE ALBERT CIDI-:AN

Patented Aug. 29, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT oFEicE 2,171,434 BEAM-TYPE HOUSING STRUCTURE Earl J. W. Ragsdale, Norristown, and Albert G. Dean, Narberth, Pa., assignors to Edward G. Budd Manufacturing Company, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application April 14, 1934,'seria1 No. 720,650

23 Claims.

mon trucks intermediate the cars, are being.

streamlined, and high-1y powered by gas electric power plants. carried b y the cars themselves. The trains so organized are expected to continue so organized over considerable periods of time and not to be shortened or lengthened through subtraction or addition of cars in daily use though such cars may be introduced from one period of the year to another by special operation in the yard or in the shop. Such trains alford a high speed, extremely economical, eficient, commodious and comfortable service of considerable profit to the railroads.

While the invention has this general adaptation, it may, of course, have other adaptation but it is without doubt especially adapted for this field.

Its objects are to increase the reduction in `weight of such trains without decreasing their 0 strength and s-afety, to actually increase their strength and safety while reducing the Weight, to increase the facility of their fabrication, especially of high tensile stainless steel cold drawn l and electrically spot welded, to improve the etiliciency of the welding operations and the economy thereof, to improve the appearance of the train, to render'the construction of more-ready streamlining and afford application of streamlined sheathing with greater facility and greater smoothness of curvilinear' contour, to afford a constructionadaptable for general usage in connection with cars of different dimensions, and

to facilitate the production methods employed.

Yetfurther objects are the arrangements for 5 transversely and .longitudinally strengthening the sub-flooring structure of the car to enable it to constitute more eiiiciently the bottom chord member of the truss involving the car at large, to encompass in its transverse cross sections ,spaces within which many of the car appliances may be contained and to provide' for the enclosure of these equipment spaces and the subfloor iramings by streamline sheathings which, while affording resistance form to the exterior, nevertheless, provide free access to the spaces for installation,` repair and replacement of equipment.

Still further, the invention has to do with the improvement in those flooring and side wall structures intersected by ways of ingress andegress to the car in such manner as to preclude weakening of the structure where such intersections occur.

'I'hat which is looked upon as the best embodiment of the invention at the present time is lo yshown in the accompanying drawings of which- Figure l is a side elevation of a rail car of such a train, in this instance the rearmost car of streamline form being shown in connection with the rear or right hand end. 15 Figure 2 is a plan view of the same with half ofI the roof section broken away to show theside wall in horizontal section and the seats in plan.

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the framework y of the car-showing particularly the side trussing 20 and the vertically extending members of the transverse frames which are incorporated in this trussing.

Figure 4 is an enlargement of the left hand end of the framework of Fig. 3 adjoining the left 25 hand end of the car. l

Figure 5 is a partial such enlargement of the opposite side of this left hand end.

Figure 6 is an enlarged view of one half of the left end elevation of the framework of Fig. 3, 30 the half shown being that adjoining the side the portion of which is shown in Fig. 5, and which is the side opposite that shown in Fig. 3.

Figure 7 is a section on lines '1 -1 of Figs. 5 and 6 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 8 is a section on ,line 8--8 of Fig. 6 look'- ing in the direction, of the arrows.

Figure 9 is one half of a full transverse cross section of a car of Figs. 1 to 3.

Figure 10 is a plan view of the bottom portion of a transverse frame unit of Fig. 9 taken approximately on line Ill-I0 of Fig. 9 and 'with I certain members broken away and foreshortened in order to compact the view.

Figure 11 is av section approximately on line 4- II-II of Fig. 9 in the direction of the arrows.

Figures 12 to 28 inclusive are cross sectional details of the various members of the framework of Figs. 3 to 6 taken each upon the cross sectional lines designated in Figs. 3 to 6 by the numerals 50,

corresponding to the number ofthe figure, applied to opposite ends of the cross sectional lines,

` and looking in the direction of the applied arrows,

in accordance with the 'customary practice.

Figure 29 is an over-all plan View of the under- 65 nal aspect.

frame structure in the vicinity of the side doors of the car taken substantially from the same point of View as thepartial section of Fig. 10 on line Ill-I0.

Figure 30 is a partial side elevation of one of the vertical trusses entering into this underframe structure taken on line SI1- 30 of Fig. 9 and Fig. 29.

Figure 31 is an enlarged tr-ansverse section substantially on line 3I-3I of Fig. 29 showing in enlarged scale certain of the features appearing at the floor level in Fig. 9 with particular relation to the underlrame structure of Fig. 29.

The car depicted in side and end elevations and plan in Figs. 1 to- 6 is the endmost car of a multiple car train. `Its forward or left handV end designated 4G is substantially square ended and thereby adapted to adjoin the square ended rear end of the car in front through connection with a common truck the rear half of which is represented by the rear wheel 4I of the truck. The truck and the articulated connection of the trains thereto form no lpart of the` present invention and is therefore not shown to any additional extent. The rear end of this car designated 42 is curvilinearly tapered as appears especially in the plan of Fig. 2 and thereby streamlined appropriately as the trailing end or tail of a streamline body. In the instance of the front or head car of the train it.is the forward end (which in this case would be the left hand end of the car) curvilinear contour and inthe instance of the forward end the contour would be appropriate for the leading end of the streamline body. This rear end 42 is supported by a truck individual to it represented as a four wheel truck through the showing in the elevation of Fig. 1 of two wheels 43.

The skeleton framework of the car depicted at large in Figs. 3 to 6 and 9 is of such longitudinal and transverse cross section as ,to afford a curvilinearly streamline form to the body of the car both transversely and longitudinally as appears particularly well in Fig. 9 from the transverse aspect and in Figs. 1 and 2 in the longitudi- This framework Iis covered by sheathing in the main longitudinally extending. 'Ihe truss work of the side frames shown in Fig. 3'is sheathed below the belt line 44 at the level of the window sills with a relatively Wide concavely cross sectioned longitudinally extending paneling 45 shown in cross section in Fig. 9. This paneling extends all the way down to the floor level I46. Below the floor 46, the underframing is longitudinally sheathed by corrugated paneling 41, the corrugations of which are less in width than the concave elements of the paneling 45. Between the Windows 48 the trusswork is sheathed by flat or finely longitudinally corrugated panelings 49. The roof above the top rails 50 finds the tops ofthe transverse frames of Fig. 9 sheathed throughout the roof quarter by longitudinally extending and longitudinally corrugated paneling 5l very similar to the paneling 41 utilized to sheath the bottoms. The central portion of the top beyond the roof quarter is sheathed as shown by longitudinally extending corrugated paneling 52.

These panelings each through their longitudinally extending concavities or corrugations as the case may be,and through and by virtue of their frequent strong welded connection with the members of the framework of Figs. 3 to 6 and 9, especially with the vertically extending members of that framework, greatly increase the which would be streamlined tos stiffness and strength of the side trusses at large as appearing in Fig. 3 and greatly increase the stiffness under compression strainsl of the roof vided each concave section with complemental ini turned flanges 53 themselves electrically spot welded together and with angle brackets 54 spot welded the one branch to the flanges 53 and the other branch to the vertical members 55 of the side frame trussing and of the transverse frame units. They may also be connected through such angle brackets 54 with certain of the diagonal members, e. g., 56-61. So organized the concave cross section and the angle walled flanges afford a great stiffness and strength. Similarly the panelings 41-49--5I are joined at the bottoms 58 of the corrugations by electrical spot welding likewise to the vertically extending members 55 of the side frames and the transverse frame units 4of Fig. 9. These frame members 55 are in the main of channel cross section presenting outwardly as appears clearly in Figs.

4 and 10 and are provided with outturned flanges 59 to which these spot welded joinders are made either directly as in the case of joining the bottoms of the corrugations 58 of panelings 41-49-5I or indirectly as in the instance of joinder of paneling 45 through brackets 54. The mouths of the channels 55 may or may not be covered by cover plates 60 spot welded to these same flanges in which event the iornder of the paneling is by spot welding to flanges 5'9 through the cover plate thickness.

In the forward end of the car, the left end, these panelings terminate abruptly in a relatively sharp corner (see Figs. 2 and '7). In the rear end they are extended in flowing curvilinear lines of convergent form to a smoothly curvilinear extreme rear end. This rear end contour is characterized by a continuation of the floor line 46, the belt line 44, andthe top rail 50 in parallelly extending horizontal planes all the wa'y to the rear end and by the arrangement of the vertically extending` members 55 of the side frames all truly vertical and parallel in those portions lying between the floor plane 46 and the top rail plane 50. Indeed, as clearly appears from Fig. 9, the truly vertical portions of the members 55 are extended somewhat beyond both the top rail plane 50 and the oor line 46 whereby all paneling between the planes 46 and 50 partakes of simple rather than compound curvature and the formation of the paneling to streamline form is facilitated. Similarly the transverse curvature of the panelings 41 and 5I is m'aintained of the same degree almost to the rear extremity of the car, only two frameworks removed therefrom as 'clearly appears in Figs. 1 and 3, that is to say, to the p0int.5l, whereby the vcompound curvature rearwardly to this point 6| is notl complex, and the form of the transverse frame units depicted in Fig. 9 is not changed exceptas to width. Thus there is left only the relatively small roof and bottom sections lying between the point 50and the rear extremity where the compound curvature of the sheathing is complex. These relatively small areas designated 62 may then be hammered or die formed to shape.

The basis of the skeleton framework depicted at large in Figs. 3 to 6 and 9 and in detail in the remaining figures is the transverse frame unit of Fig. 9, details of which are shown in Figs. 10

and 11. This unit embodies not only the verare four of these vertical struts 12 extending and curvilinear top and bottom members 63 and 64. In fact the panelings 41 and 5l are secured in large part to the curvilinearly extending lateral extremities of these top and bottom members 63 and 64. These members like the posts 55 are of channel cross section presenting .outwardly of the framework and having outturned side flanges 65. The cross sections correspond in general to the dimension of the cross section of the posts 55 and lap these cross sections just above the top rail 50 in the one case and just below the floor line 46 in the other case. At these vpoints of lap the side walls are spot welded together through side wall gussets 66 and 61 of appropriate extent and cross section. To facilitate fabrication the extremely curvilinear portions on the roof and bottom quarters in the region of the panelings 415|, they may be fabricated separately from the central less curvilinearly formed portions and lap joined thereto by spot welding as indicated at 68. All of these channel cross sections may be closed across their mouths in the same manner as the channel cross section of the posts 55 as shown in Fig. 10.

While the top or roof section of the frame units 9 is simple in form as illustrated, consisting principally of the curvilinearly transversely extending portion 63, the bottom is compound in form, the bottommost member 64 being combined with the transverse horizontally extending door beam 69 through intervened diagonal and vertical struts v1il--1I-12 to constitute a deep bottom truss, the outlines of which encompass considerable of the space below the oor beams 69. In the achievement of this .the floor beams 69, themselves of upwardly presenting channel cross section as appearing in Figs. and 11 and continuous from side to side of the frame unit,

4are joined at their opposite ends through gussets 61 which exteriorly overlap their side walls directly to the side walls of posts 55 and bottom frame members 64. outturned anges on the gussets 61 bear upon outturned flanges on the vlicor beams 69 and are spot welded thereto.

These same gussets 61 `receive the upper ends of the channel sectioned diagonal struts 19 which are secured thereto by Welding while the` lower ends of struts 10 are received by and secured by external gussets 13 commonly exteriorly lapping the side walls of the member 64 and welded thereto. A compound diagonal strut of hollow cross section 1| interconnects-by its opposite ends gussets 13 and gussets`14 of elongated extent` welded to the floor beam 69 intermediate its middle and its end. Pairs of vertical struts 12 spaced somewhat apart are welded exteriorly of gussets 14 by the bottoms of the channel cross section and at their lowerends through similar connection to spaced gussets 15 to the side walls of the bottom member 64. As a matter of fact there in this plane, .one pair 12 on each side of the iioorbeam 69 and member 64 as clearly appears from a plan view of Fig. 10. So organized as will be clearly ap! parent, the struts 10-1l-12 triangularly interconnect the members 64 and 69 after the fashion of a Warren truss and afford the relatively deep truss a great strength.

There are a large number of these transversely extending frame units inthe skeleton framework of Fig. 3, there being located one flanking each window opening 48 and each door opening 16 and at each extremity '.of the car body. Intermediatethe sides of the window openings there are inter- -juxtaposed channels 18 are mediate such'transverse frame units as indicated, essentially similar to the principal such units, differing therefrom principally in the breaking of the posts 55 at the window openings 48. They are interconnected not' ony by the longitudinally exf tending sheathing -41-'49-5I previously described but also by longitudinally-and diagonally extending framing now to be described.

The vertically extending posts of the frame are interconnected at their bottoms by bottom rails 11 of compound cross section appearing in Fig. 9 near the -floor level 46 and the transverse cross section of which taken on line 22-22 of Figs. 3 and 4 is depicted in Fig. 22. These bottom rails are comprised of three similarly cross sectioned longitudinally extending channel members 18 each presenting toward the-post 55 and provided with outturned flanges 19 through which they are spot welded to the flanges 59 and the bottom wall 8U of the post. There are two of these opposite each other just at the floor level and one just below at the bottom end of the post 55 and on the outside of it'. Spaced between the upper and lower channels 18 there is secured a section of longitudinally corrugated sheathing 8| the edges of which are spot welded to the flanges 19 and therethrough to flanges 59 of the post. Below the lower channel 18 there is provided a longitudinally extending Stringer 82 of Z cross section one arm of whichis welded to flange 19 of the channel the main body'of which underlies the main body of the post 55 and the other arm of which is welded to the sheathing 41 and member 64.. The flanges 19 of the upper and joined together by channels 83 the side walls of which are welded to flanges 19. These channels extend from one post 55 to the next adjoining thereby constituting the juxtaposed channels 18 a full box cross sectionas clearly appears in Fig. 22. The exterior and interior paneling or gusseting or bracketing as may be desired will be provided with a longitudinally'extending side edge 84 lap Welded to intermediate anges 19 and side walls of channels 83 by multiple Welds. The structure is extended longitudinally of the car from end to end, the members 18 being continuous and the members 83 broken only by the posts 55 but reinforced at these points by the intermediate laps 84 of material which bridge across the post 55 and longitudinally reinforce the structure at those points Where channels 83 are discontinuous. Such members 84 are also provided in connection with the lower channel 18 and have the4 same purpose of reinforcement, thus there 'is constituted a longitudinally extending girder of great through the prominence given the channels 18 and the contours thereof and of the paneling 8| affording ornamental moulding characteristics of an attractiverord'er. The members 84 also serve as spacers between channels 83 and flanges 19 which will admit free Ause of 4gussets at the points of' juncture of the various truss elements without disturbing the rectilinear course of the channel 18 and flanges 19. At these points of juncture the members 84 are terminated and the gussets l supplant them..

fstiffness and strength and at the same time windows 48 while Fig. 24 shows the section in the windows 48 transversely of the window sill. As in the instance of the bottom rail 11, the rail is composite. In this case it is formed of outer longitudinally extending sheet metal channels 88 and inner longitudinally extending channels 81 of somewhat shallower depth than those channels 86. The side walls of both channels carry laterally extending flanges 88 through which they are welded to the post 55 and to the sections of the paneling and 48 appearing in Figs. 1 and 9. As in the instance of the bottom rail 11 just described, between the flanges 88 of channels 86-81 and the flanges 58 of the posts there are intervened members 84 which are the gussets at the posts and spacers intermediate `the posts which admit the gussets without diverting the rectilinear course of the channels 88. In certain instances the members 84 may be flanges on the paneling, but outstandingly, they are the gussets or spacers. In between the windows as shown by the section 2l the channels 86 and 81 'are joined together by transversely arranged channels 83 of the same orderas those 83 bearing the connection with the bottom rail 11 of Fig. 22 and in the same manner are joined the side walls of 83 to the flanges 88. The channels 83 are of the same extent, extending from one post 55 to the next adjoining. Thus, as clearly appears in Fig. 21, the section of the belt rail is a box cross section between the posts. Within the windows, as appears in Fig. 24, channels 83 are provided at the bottom of the`cross section only. At the top the inner channel 81 has its upper side wall extended all the way across to the outer channel 88 and there provided with a flange 88 mating with and welded to the flange 88 of the other channel. This provides an uninterrupted upper wall 80 to constitute the face of the window sill proper and to admit the place--v ment of. windows from the inside of the car to lie against flanges 88 and 88 which are disposed at the outside. To facilitate this the upper angle of channel 81 adjoining wall 80 is formed with a bevel 8l, or perhaps its equivalent, a rounded corner. In the interest of added strength the members 84 are carried all the way-through the window sill, the outer one in the usual manner of the gussets at the post, the inner one at the bottom in the usual manner but at its upper edge by providing it with an outturned flange 82 and spot welding this flange to the face 88 of the window sill.

Above the windows 48 the top rail designated generally 58-fin Figs. 1 to 6 and 9 is alsoconstituted of box section composed of `a quadrangular arrangement of channel cross sections similar to those employed in connection with the bottom rail 11 and the belt rail 85. This appears from the sections of Figs.v 12, 13, 14, 28 and 23 y taken respectively on the lines of corresponding number in Figs.3 and 4. Sections I2 and I4 are taken without the windows 48 and between adjacent posts 55. The compound structure in such case is composed similarly in all essential respects to the compound structure of the belt rail as can be seen by comparing Figs. 12 and 14 with Fig. 21, and also similarly to the upper part of the bottom rail 11. Thus there are used 'inner and outer vertically disposed channels 83 and upper and lower horizontally disposed channels 83 the former being longitudinally continuous across posts 55 and the latter extending between posts only. The flanges 84 of the inner and outer` channels 83 are joined to the side walls of the channels 83 through the intervened members 84 of the same order as those used in the belt and bottom rails. These top rails 58 differ in these sections principally by being vertically shallow. However, the section |4-I4 is marked by the interposition of a longitudinally continuous vertically extending web member 85 between the side walls of channels 83 and flanges 84 of channels 83 which member, as clearly appears from Fig. 14 and Fig. 1, is extended vertically above the box cross section of the top rail 58 a considerable distance, and is extended longitudinally over a considerable length of the car body. This member 85 is of considerable thickness and is so placed for the purpose of stiifening and strengthening the top rail throughout the region in which it is used as will more fully appear. This it does by sub-dividing and stiiening the main box section and by entering into angular formation with the top walls of the box section, deepening and increasing the effective area of the section at large.

Within the windows 58 and within the doorway 16 the sections I3, 28 and 23 are taken. Here the box cross sections are constituted of three channel members only, the outer 83, the inner 83, and the upper of the channels 83, and the section is completed at the bottom by extending the lower side wall of the inner channels 83 outwardly to meet the lower side wall 88 outwardly and there providing it with a flange 81, this construction being similar to that utilized at the window sills shown in Fig. 24. Here too members 84 are utilized in essentially the same man- -ner as at the window sills, the inner of these lmembers being provided with -a lflange 82 as in the instance oi the sill of Fig. 24. In addition, however, to the members 84 there is utilized the member 85 in a main body continuation, the same member appearing in the section of Fig. 14 and which extends all'the way across the center part of the car and across the side door 16. The

flanges 84-81and the members 84 and 85 are through welded from face to face of their multiple laps. At they door 18 the section of Fig. l23 is taken. Here member 85 also appears in the same relation to the other elements of the top rail as in the section 28-28 in the window open'- ing. But at this section 23 in the door opening the extension of the inner channel 83 to meet the outer channel 83 is not by integral extension of the bottom wall but by non-integral such extension, the extension being made by means of a channel 83 which has been obverted from the position of the bottom-channel-. usually occupied to present upwardly;l as in case of the upper channel 83. However,the joinder is likewise by means of welding the sidewalls of the channel to the bottom flanges 84 of the channels 83.

Thus there is formed a rabbeted upper door jamb the rabbet lying inwardly between the lower side wall of the inner channel 83 and the flange 84 and the main body of the jamb being constituted by the bottom of the channel 83. To the bottom of thischannel is welded by its side wall a Weather and stop channel 88. Such are the various bottom, belt and top rail structures.

The transverse frames of Fig. 9 and the rail structures just described are vertically interbraced by the posts 55 of the transverse frames and diagonally inter-braced by the system of diagonal braces appearing particularly in Figs.

3 to 6. The rigidity of the bracing of the posts 55 with the transverse frames isvvaried from point to point in accordance with the stress needed to diate the top and bottom of the channel of the post and secured thereto by inter-welding of the side walls. Thus the base of the section |6|6 is reinforced by strips of material welded both to the bottom of the channel of post 55 and to the cover plate 60 of this channel. Thus the post of section l1 is unprovided with reinforcements. Thus the door post of section 25-25 at the right of the doorways 16 is reinforced and enlarged by providing cover plate 60 with an extension |00 into the doorway and then providing it with an inturned flange |0|. This extension is welded by the flange |02 to a Z shaped vertically extending member |03 the dimensions of the main body and the outer arm /of which are such as to form with the adjoining side wall of' the post 5.5 an augmenting box section greatly enlarging the cross-sectional area of the member as a whole. The inner arm |04 of this Z section member |03 extends inwardly of the body to form the rabbet complemental to that formed by channel 93 and flange 94 at the top of the door as shown in Fig. 23, while the outer arm of the Z together with flanges |02 and |0| form a weather and stop channel similar to the channel 98 and in the s ame door plane. The terminal portions |05 of the various inner and outer sheathings assist in strengthening this structure.

The diagonal braces are shown particularly by the sections of Figs. 18 to 20, 26 and 27 and are various in accordance with the various stresses required to be met. Thus the member of the section |8-|8 is a box cross section comprised of oppositely facing channels |06 bound together by at sections |01 welded to their side walls, thus the member of the section of Fig. 19 is comprised of a single channel member |06 and opposed flat are of corresponding width and that this width accords with thatof the channels 83 entering into the composition of the rail structures and that the gauge of the at side members |01 corresponds to the gauge of the members 64 whereby the longitudinally continuous channels 18, 86, 81

and 93 may be extended without diversion of the rectilinear course across gussets and Walls |01 alike, since the outer surfaces of the gussets lie in one and the same plane. The same is true of the paneling attachments whereby the paneling may extend rectilinearly smoothly Without diversion of the course. What is said of, the rectilinear members is true also of the curvilinear members.

'I'he relative arrangement in and aboutrthe side doors of the car of the various parts of the structure heretofore described is of considerable consequence. about the important results of enabling the side .f doors and communicatingstep Wells to be freely used even in the most highly stressed parts of the structure without weakening it and without tically trebled in number.

'I'he invention at this point brings v putting it to undue tortional strains or resulting 1n undue deflection in any direction. The doors 16 extend from the longitudinally continuous top rail right through the belt rail 85 and the bottom rail 16 rendering these rails longitudinally discontinuous iny the doorway. This would ordi narily so weaken the structure of such light weight as this drawn and pressed metal structure having the structural characteristics of an airplane as to preclude its use. It would require that the structure depend almost entirely for longitudinal strength and stiffness upon disjointed roof strngers |08 (see Fig. 9) (which stringers discontinuously extend from one frame member 63 to the next adjoining and are intended vmainly to support the head linings of the car,)

upon'the longitudinally extending floor stringers |09 (again see Fig. 9) which support 'the corrugated car flooring ||0, and upon the main longitudinal stringers or beams ||i| |2 which latter are located between the struts 12. There are four of these latter, thc two bottommost of heavy cross section being longitudinally continuous and provided with flanges welded both to the Vertical struts 12 and to the bottom of the channel section of the bottom members 64 of the transverse frame units of Fig. 9, and two of them, the uppermost being oi open channel form similar to the iioor stringers 90 welded by the bottom wall to the anges of the oor beam S9 and by their sidewalls to the side walls of the channel section struts 12. These members i2 are the principal mid-section longitudinally extending tension members of the car. The floor stringers |09 are also tension members. Their bottoms are welded tothe fianges |3 of the floor beams 69 (see Fig. 10 which will also show the relation of the Stringer to this beam). On these are supported in turn by flanges Ill the corrugations (now refer to Fig. 9) of the flooring H0, the bottoms of the corrugations being welded to thc iianges |3 and the corrugations extending transversely of the car. Note in connection with the stringer that to permit the struts 12 to come all the way up and be welded by their side Walls to this Stringer, flanges |3.are eut awry and are supplanted intermediate the side walls of the beams 69 by the welded channel reinforcement ||5 through which the beam is rein-forced where the flanges are cut away. The overhead stringers |08 are lap joined to each other and to the bottom walls ofthe channels of members 63 by joining members ||6 of flattish section welded to the respective bottom walls of the members 63 and |08. However, it must be apparent that all of'these members together are of relatively small strength and resistance to torsion strain and general deflection as compared with the deep andstrongside trusses whichhave been broken by the door 16.

Therefore in further accord with the invention the number of transverse frame units of Fig. 9 in the vicinity of the doors 16 is greatly increased throughout the range designated in Fig. 3, |I1. the transverse'frames being almost if not quite doubled in number on either side of the doorway and in the roof above the doorway being prac- This is readily traced by counting the vvertically extending members 55 and 63--64. Flanking each doorway the transverse frames are reinforced by transversely extending bulkheads l8 appropriately transversely s'tiiened and strengthened. These appear in Fig.

2 in plan and in Fig. 9 in elevation. These may extend from the roof down to the iioor beams 69 the range or they may be extended all the way to the bottom member 64 of the transverse frame member. Header units IIBA complete the bulkheads over the center doorways 16a. In addition, the bottom trusses of the transverse units of Fig. 9 as shown in Figs. 29 and 30 are supplementally interconnected together by an auxiliary system of stringers or beams IIS-|20 appearing especially in Figs. 9, 29 and 30. These stringers ||9|20 are in general of the same order as those and ||2 and we contemplate that in some installations at least they may be consolidated with them at an appropriate location intermediate the middle and the side of the transverse frame member. `These auxiliary stringers or beams extend throughout They are longitudinally trussed together from transverse frame unit to transverse frame unit as appears in Figs. 3 and 30 by diagonal struts |2I. 'I'hey are bound laterally alike to stringers ||I, floor beams 69 and floor stringers |09 by oor gusset plates |22,'|23 and |24 welded to the upwardly disposed flanges of these elements or to the bottom walls thereof as the case may be. As indicated clearly in the plan of Fig. 29, these gussets are secured principally to the flanges of the oor beams 69 but are provided with upturned flanges |25, |26 the latter of which is laterally adjustable for placement fitting for welding to the side walls of the floor stringers |09, the flange |26 being welded to the bodies of the members |22-|23 and |24 after welding the side walls to allow for discrepancies in fitting. The gusset plate |24 is-of substantially the full extent of the range ||1 about the doorway and perhaps greater but progressively these plates |24|23|22 decrease in length in the order named until the central plate |22 is of a length only one or two transverse frames beyond the Width of the doorway. Thus both transverse and longitudinally extending beams and stringers at the floor level 46 are trussed together by this crotched system of gussets in such manner that all strains including the tension of the chord f "members intercepted by the step vvwalls are taken by the group as a unit and distributed gradually from the mid-section |21 between the stepped wells |28 out into the main side trusses of the structure.

The corrugated sheathings 5| and 52 of the` roof. and 50 of the bottom interconnect top and bottom members 6i and 64 of these closely adjoining transverse frames in the range ||1.

.Particularly in the roof are these corrugated sheathings converted into box sectioned interconnecting struts of short stubby form especially in and above the doorway 19, by the employment of an intermediate sheathing |29 (see Fig. 9).

This may also be employed in the bottom of the structure.

'I'he inter-action of these constructions becomes then as follows according to the best available knowledge. 'Ihe short stubby box sections of the roof paneling. closely spot welded to the members 63 constitute the section of the roof in the range ||1 and particularly above the doorway 16 extremely stii and strongly resistant to longitudinal bending or torsional weaving, the more especially because this construction is carried down through the roof quarters sheathing 5| to the top sail il which is, of course, continuous. The top rail 50 reinforced as it is by the member gives the lower edge of .the roof in the range a of the re-doubly closely positioned members 63 tion is such that the trusses |I9-I20 joined together as they are by the gussets |22-|23 constitute a downwardly presenting channel section of the full depth of the bottom of the transverse frame. This can be discerned especially from Fig. 9 where the channel can be defined as extending from one side wall of Stringer ||9 to stringer |20, the members |22- |23 transversely andlongitudinally reinforced by beams 69 and stringers |09, and the other side wall of the truss extending from stringer ||9 down again to the Stringer |20 and the other side wall (not shown) 'Ihus this section |9| 20 between the step wells becomes substantially unbendable and such strains as those to which it may be subjected are carried horizontally laterally outwardly and gradually distributed into the side trusses. Indeed the main loads of the side trusses are car- Iried through the structure of Figs. 29 and 30 section for mutual resistance to torsional andv weaving strains. The transverse .inner truss webbing |22-|23--I24 from another standpoint becomes a principal longitudinal tension element since the tensions of the lower chord members of the trusses areftransmitted through the ,iioor beams and connecting elements directly into it and across the step well. From another angle this webbing |22- |23-l24 constitutes an X- shaped bracing, that is -to say, a double diagonal bracing between the opposite side trusses across the stepwell. The webbing is shown in Fig. 9 as well as in Figs. 29 and 30 but in Fig. 9 the detail is vnot attempted. It is illustrated as a webbing passing continuously beneath the iloor stringers |09 to above the floor beams il. The detail of the webbing, of course, and its connection to the transverse and longitudinally extending structural element may be widely varied, the essential thing being that it is intimately Itied to these elements and so formed as to be substantially free of transverse extensibility. Its longitudinal continuity in its several portions, of course, makes it inextensible in the longitudinal direction. x v

Such is the nature of the invention. That its objects are achieved in full would seem to be clear without repetition of the preamble of the specication. Suiiice it to say that in addition to the great strength of the structure,particularly ln the range wherethe truss chords are intercepted by the doorways, that the organization for assembly into unit transverse frames such as Fig. 9 of closed cross section and the building of these frames'directlyinto the trusses admits a rapid and eicient assembly. The transverse frames are set up in jigs at the proper dis-'l tances apart,` the gussets of their juncture with the longitudinalv chord members or welded in place, and their alignment and spacing immediately assured by welding on of the inner `and outer flanged channels the chord members.`

'I'hereupon completion of these chord members through the introduction of their intermediate channels and of the diagonal bracing follows rapidly. Throughout these and all other operations the structures afford a very maximum of accessibility for spot welding of the partsv together through their 'meeting anges and laps.

Suilce it to say further that the organization of the channel section posts of th`e transverse frame with the rails and the diagonal braces on the basis of the depth of the cover post structures as the thickness dimension of the various intermediate channels and connecting diagonals enables the gusseted connection of thevvarious truss elements to be effected by spot welding, and one to attain the placement of all exterior faces of the truss in a common plane or common curvilinear surface free from linear irregularities whereby the continuous longitudinal members and the panelings may be welded in place without deflection from those planes or surfaces.

Suflie it to say once again that the utilization of the juxtaposed flanged channels on edge connected respectively with the inside and the outside of the posts 55 enables them to be constituted mouldings andsills at the same time that they constitute the through running continuous chord elements of the truss.

The eifect of the whole -is an immense saving in Weight coupled with an immense gain in strength.

In conclusion the following items of additional detail are perhaps worth noting. First, that the upper chord IIS of the truss ||9|20 is rather deep as s hown in Figs. 9 and 30 and its side walls are transsected by the through beam 69, being cut away for this purpose'as clearly appears in both Figs. 9 and 30. Second, that the continuity between members |22--I-23-I24 is eifectively preserved by actual transverse overlap of the several plates the margins of which may be cut away at points like |29 topass vertical struts such as 12. The same might be done in the plane of the truss IIB-|20 where the depth of the chord member H9 is sutliciently shallow to permit it.

Note the front corners of the car as shown particularly in' Figs. 5 and 6 and the detail of .Figs 7 and 8. Posts 55 around the corner from each other are angularly inter-connected inside and out by angular brackets ISD-I3! and also by angular gussets of corresponding numerical designation in such manner that these brackets and gussets form a third corner box cross section |32 v4of large area intermediate the posts 55. The gussets afford the usual connection to the longitudinal and diagonal members of the truss, both the side truss and end truss appearing in Fig. 6,-while gussets and brackets together are so closely adjoined vertically of the structure as to constitute it vertically substantially of continuous boxed cross section from top to bottom.

In response to a requirement of division, claims to the truss structure in general have been transferred from this application to copending divisional application Serial No. 193,870, led March 4, 1938.

There are many aspects o f the inventionwhich point the way clearlyI to modification and improvement. Such modincation and improvement may doubtless be made of all features of the invention. The circumstantial terminology of the appended claims should be held to apply to each and all such modications in order that the generic Lspirit of the invention be upheld by them. Obviously our invention is applicable to trussed housing structures at large, particularly vehicle bodies at large, in all its features. The preambles to the claims especially, therefore, are intended v to have that breadth of construction which will comprehend such breadth of applicability.

Wha/.t is claimed is- 1. A beam f ype vehicle body having side trusses and deriving its strength principally through said side trusses but having a doorway intersecting a chord of one of said trusses, body reinforcements to transmit the loads from the section of said' truss'on one side of the doorway to the section thereof on the other side through portions of the body inwardly removed from said truss comprising beams in the structure of the body inwardly removed from said trusses, transverse members relatively widely spaced interconnecting said trusses in locations remote from the doorway and transverse members in greater number per unit of length interconnecting the side trusses and said beams in the region of the doorway.

2. A beam type vehicle body having side trusses and deriving its strength principally through said Iside trusses but having a doorway opening intersecting the lower chord of one of said trusses, body reinforcements to transmit the loads between the interrupted sections of said truss on the respective sides of the doorway through portions of the body inwardly removed from the side trusses, comprising vlongitudinally extending trussV members located" inwardly of said side trusses and means to interconnect said inwardly locatedv truss mem-bers with said side trusses including transverse members extending substantially throughout the vertical height of the body and gussets spanning the distance between the side trusses and interconnecting. them with said longitudinal and transverse members on each side of said doorway.

3. A beam type vehicle Ibody-having side trusses and deriving its strength principally through said side trusses but having a doorway intersecting a chord of one of said trusses, body reinforcements to transmit the loads from the section of said truss on one side of the doorway to the sec- .tion thereof on the other side through v portions of the body inwardly removed from said side trusses comprising longitudinally extending members located inwardly of said side trusses and transversely extending members interconnecting vsaid side trusses and members together with gussets spanning the distance between the side trusses and interconnecting them with said longitudinal and transverse members on each side of said doorway, said gussets having their minimum longitudinal dimensions in the median plane of the body and their maximum longitudinal dimension in their region of joinder with said side trusses.

4. A beam type vehicle body having side trusses and deriving its strength principally through said number and closest adjacency in the vicinity or the doorway together with angular section paneling for the exterior of the body constituting short angle section struts by virtue of its angular sections and the close adjacency of said frames.

5. A beam type vehicle body having side trusses and deriving its strength principally through said side trusses but having a doorway intersecting a chord of one of said trusses, body reinforcements to transmit loads from the section of said truss on one side of the doorway to the section thereof on the other side through portions of the body inwardly removed from said side truss comprising longitudinally extending beams located inwardly of theA doorway in the under structure of the body, closely spaced transverse frames inter-` connecting the chords of said trusses at the top and the intersected chord and said inwardly located longitudinal beam at the bottom and corrugated sheathing secured thereto at the bottoms of the corrugations above and below said'doorway opening and transverse bulkheads flanking the doorways and-secured to and reinforcing the frames at the sides of the doorway.

6. A beam type vehicle body having an underframe and side trusses and deriving lits strength principally through said side trusses but having doorways intersecting certain ofthe chords of said trusses, body reinforcements including transverse diaphragms secured to said -side trusses and said underframe inwardly from said side trusses to transmit the loads from sections of the trusses on one side of the respective doorways to the sections on the other side through portions of the body inwardly removed from said side trusses, the doorways leading at their bottoms into step wells and intersecting the lower chords of said trusses, and a longitudinally extending bridging structure between step wells on opposite sides of the body in the form of an inverted channel of the width between the step wells and the full depth oi the step wells.

7; A beam type vehicle body having side trusses andwderivingl strength principally through said side trussesbut having doorways intersecting certain of the chords of the trusses, body reinforcements to transmit the loads from the sections of the trusses on one side of the respective doorways to the sections on the other side through portions of the body inwardly removed from said side trusses, the doorways leading at their bottoms into step wells and intersecting the lower chords of said trusses, and a longitudinally extending bridging structure between step wells on opposite sides of the body in the form of an inverted channel of the width between the step wells and of the full depth of the wells, which channel shaped structure extends longitudinally a considerable distance on each side of the doorways and is comprised of a longitudinally and transversely stiiened web structure at the iloor level constitutingthe bottom wall of the channel and a pair of vertically arranged trusses constituting its side walls.

8. A beam type trussed housing structure having spaced side trusses, a doorway intersecting a chord of one of said trusses, transverse frames interconnecting the trusses on opposite sides of said doorway, and a. webbing extending from truss to truss and longitudinally continuous on either side of said doorway across the transverse plane thereof, which webbing is connected with said transverseframes in a manner to transfer the tension of the intersected chord member I ing spaced side trusses and a doorway intersecting a chord of one of said trusses, transverse frames interconnecting the trusses on opposite sides of the doorway, which transverse frames are greatly mutiplied in number in the vicinity of the doorway placing them in close proximity, and longitudinally corrugated sheathing affording a stiff and relatively rigid connection between the multiplied frames.

l0. A hollow truss type vehicle body, the side frames of which are substantial load carrying truss members each including top and bottom chords and vertical posts interconnecting the chords, a transversely extending floor structure joining said side frames, an `arcuate carlines joining the upper vchords of said side frames and spaced more closely than the posts of the side frames, a roof sheathing on said carlines of corrugated metal,-said roof sheathing in the arcuate portion of the carlines adjacent the side frames, throuh its connection with the carlines and top chords of the side frames, forming a stiff, compression resisting membervhaving strong resistance against torsion.

11. A hollow truss type vehicle body, the side frames of which are substantial load carrying truss members each including top and bottom chords and posts interconnecting said top and bottom chords, a transversely extending floor structure4 joining said side frames, and arcuate carlines joining the `upper chords of said side frames, a roof sheathing secured to said carlines and chords and comprising longitudinally corrugated sheet metal, said roof sheathing in the arcuate portion of the carlines adjacent the side frames, through its connection with the carlines and the top chords of the side frames, forming a stm, compression resisting roof member having strong, ,resistance against torsion, lower carlines below the floor structure, joining the bottom chords of the side frames, and longitudinally corrugated sheathing secured to said carlines and the bottom chords of the side frames whereby to additionally strengthen the side frames against torsion.

12. A hollow truss type vehicle body, the side frames of which are substantial load carrying members each including top and bottom chords and vertical posts interconnecting said chords, a transversely extending iloor structure joining said side frames, and arcuate carlines joining the upper chords of said side frames, a roof sheathing secured to said carlines and chords and made of longitudinally corrugated sheet metal, said roof sheathing in the arcuate portion of the ca rlines adjacent the side frames, through its connection with the carlines and top chords of the side frames, forming a stii, compression resisting roof member having strong resistance against torsion, lower carlines below the floor structure joining the bottom chords of the side frames, longitudinally corrugated sheathing secured to said carlines and to the bottom chords of the side trames, whereby to additionally strengthen the side-,trames against torsion, and dlaphragms secured to portions of the' side frames, the oor structure and the upper carlines to additionally resist torsional strains.

13. In a beam type vehicle body having side l truss in shear to resist vertical loads, and means to resist torsional reactions of portions of the car body on opposite sides of said doorway intersection, said vehicle body having a relatively rigid roof constituting the principal vertical shear support over the doorway and coacting in resisting the principal torsional reaction.

14. In a vehicle body, side trusses which bear,

the principal load on the vehicle body, a doorway which renders a chord of one of the trusses discontinuous, and a roof structure having a highly developed beam strength to take alarge part of the load carried on either flank of the doorway by the truss, and'v means connecting those portions of the truss flanking the doorway with the roof to transfer load from the truss to the roof and back again, the roof being materially reinforced in the region of the doorway to increase its beam strength in that region quite substantially over that in regions remote from said doorway.

15. In a vehicle body, side trusses which bear the principal load on the vehicle body, a doorway which renders a chord of one of the trusses discontinuous, and a roof structure having a highly developed beam strength materially reinforced llongitudinally in the transverse region of the doorway to increase its strength quite substantially over that of remote regions and enable it to take a large part of the load carried on either flank of the doorway by the truss, and means connecting those portions of the truss flanking the doorway with the roof to transfer load from the truss to the roof and back again.

16. A vehicle body comprised of side trusses constituting the principal load carrying frame structure of the vehicle, a doorway intersecting the bottom chord of one truss and rendering the same discontinuous in the plane of the doorway whereby load theretofore carried by it needs be carried by other elements of the vehicle body; a roof structure, a floor, and an underframe structure in the general region of the doorway and extending a considerable distance on each flank of the doorway and each of said structures being materially reinforced in said region to substantially increase its strength over that of regions remote from the doorway whereby they have together the capability of -carrying all the load which is carried by the truss on either side of the doorway; and means flanking the transverse region of the doorway connecting the side truss nal region of the -doorway for materially strengthening said roof and oor in that region over remote regions, whereby to carry all loads which the discontinued truss itself does not carry across the doorway by reasonl of its discontinuity, which means is provided .with extended connections with the portions of the truss on opposite sides of the doorway.

18. A vehicle body in which side trusses are constituted the principal load carrying framework of the car, and having a doorway which intersects and renders discontinuous the lower chord of the truss, together with reinforcing means in the roof and the floor in the longitudinal region of the oorway materially strengthening said roof and floor in that region over remote regions, whereby to carry all the loads which the discontinued truss itself does not carry across theA doorway by reason of its discontinuity, which means is provided with ex# tended connections with the portions of the truss on opposite sides of the doorway, the said connections being constituted by the vertically extending reinforcing means connecting with roof paneling and by iioor gusset reinforcements connected with the lower chords.

19. A body for a vehicle having in its side wall a certain principal longitudinally extending strength affording element of its framework and adapted to be supported from its opposite ends and provided with a side doorway intermediate its supports intersecting said principal strength element of the framework and rendering theV same discontinuous, together with a. relatively adapted to be supported from its opposite ends and provided with a side doorway intermediate its supports and intersecting said 4principal strength element of the framework and rendering the same discontinuous, together with a box cross section underframe bridging said doorway.

21. A body for a vehicle having in its side wall a certain principal longitudinally extending strength affording element of its framework and adapted to be'support'ed from its opposite ends and provided with a side doorway intermediate its supports intersecting said principal strength element ofy the frameworkl and rendering the same discontinuous, together with a floor structure having a reinforcement in .the transverse plane of the iioor structure bridging the doorway and extending laterally therefrom on each side a distance greater than the width of the doorway itself to effect extended connections with the discontinued frame member, said reinforcements in the transverse plane of the floor structure consisting of an X-shaped plate structure secured longitudinally throughout to the iloor'structure.

22. A body for a vehicle having in its side wall a certain principal longitudinally extending strength affording element of its framework and adapted to be supported from its opposite ends and provided with a side doorway intermediate its supports intersecting said principal strength element of the framework and rendering the same discontinuous, together with carline frames increased in number in regions close to the doorway over the number in remote regions and carrying the loads from the discontinued framework element inwardly of the doorway into a frame member located inwardly thereof.

23. A body for a vehicle having in its side Wall a certain principal longitudinally extending strength affording element of its framework and adapted to be supported from its opposite ends ing said underframe and serving to transmit the loads from said discontinued member into that portion of the underframe which bridges the and provided with a side doorway intermediate its supports intersecting said principal strength element of the framework and rendering the same discontinuous, together with an underframe doorway. r depending from the car below the discontinued EARL J. W. RAGSDALE. member and through running sheathing cover- ALBERT G. DEAN. 

